Wiecha J L, Palombo R
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston 02111.
Am J Public Health. 1989 May;79(5):591-4. doi: 10.2105/ajph.79.5.591.
The values of government cash and food assistance benefits are compared to estimated food costs in Boston for households whose sole source of income is Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and who have housing in the private sector. Methods developed by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in 1978 are replicated. GAO found that the value of combined benefits can exceed the cost of the United States Department of Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan. Key assumptions underlying GAO's methodology are challenged, and an alternate method is applied. The new results contradict GAO's conclusions and suggest that Boston food costs exceed the combined value of benefits that AFDC households may receive, although participation in multiple food assistance programs is more beneficial than receipt of benefits from single programs. The authors conclude that food stamps and AFDC benefits indexed to actual costs of living are needed to meet the food needs of low-income families in Boston.
政府现金和食品援助福利的价值与波士顿那些唯一收入来源是抚养儿童家庭援助（AFDC）且居住在私营部门住房中的家庭的估计食品成本进行了比较。复制了美国总审计局（GAO）在1978年制定的方法。GAO发现，综合福利的价值可能超过美国农业部节俭食品计划的成本。对GAO方法所依据的关键假设提出了质疑，并应用了另一种方法。新的结果与GAO的结论相矛盾，表明波士顿的食品成本超过了AFDC家庭可能获得的福利综合价值，尽管参与多个食品援助计划比从单一计划获得福利更有益。作者得出结论，需要根据实际生活成本进行指数化调整的食品券和AFDC福利，以满足波士顿低收入家庭的食品需求。
